Match fixing probe found 380 suspicious games

By ASSOCIATED PRESS -
Associated Press -
Monday, February 4, 2013

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS (AP) - The European police agency says a wide-ranging match fixing investigation has uncovered more than 380 suspicious matches, including Word Cup and European Championship qualifiers and two Champions League games.

Europol’s chief Rob Wainwright said Monday the investigation uncovered “match fixing activity on a scale we have not seen before.”

Wainwright says the probe uncovered (EURO)8 million ($10.9 million) in betting profits and (EURO)2 million ($2.7 million) in bribes to players and officials and has already led to several prosecutions. Wainwright says the involvement of organized crime “highlights a big problem for the integrity of football in Europe.”

It was not immediately clear how many of the matches mentioned Monday have been revealed in previous match fixing investigations at a national level in countries including Germany and Italy.